Burning Heaven Valley's Trail, the Magma Pool's Secret

(1)

When Xiao Yan awoke, the morning light of Burning Heaven Cliff was streaming through the stone window onto his bed, and a faint medicinal fragrance filled the air. He moved his fingers. The green lotus core flame lay dormant in his dantian, but the dark red lines along the edge of the flame silently spoke of yesterday's harrowing ordeal.

"Awake?" Zi Yan walked in carrying a steaming bowl of medicinal soup and set it heavily on the table. "How did it feel to play the hero? You were out for a whole day and night. I almost thought you were going to sleep right through Burning Heaven Cliff's bedboards."

Xiao Yan sat up, took the soup, and drank it in one gulp. The bitter taste spread across his tongue. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me." Zi Yan pursed her lips and pulled a black scale from her robes. "This is the magma behemoth's reverse scale. You scraped it off when you burst out of the pillar of fire yesterday. Consider it a trophy."

[System notification: Obtained "Magma Behemoth's Reverse Scale." Can be used to forge high-level Dou Technique scrolls. Defense +30%.]

Xiao Yan rubbed the cool reverse scale with his fingertips, then suddenly remembered something. "Did you find out anything about the people from Burning Heaven Valley?"

"I did." Zi Yan pulled over a stone stool and sat down. "That one-eyed man is called Mo Feng. He's an outer sect deacon of Burning Heaven Valley, and he's been sneaking around the magma pool for the past three months. The old-timers in the Inner Academy said they seem to be looking for the Burning Heaven Ancient Map. Apparently, it has something to do with the seal on the fallen heart flame."

[System notification: Side quest "Burning Heaven Valley's Conspiracy" triggered. Clue +1: Burning Heaven Ancient Map.]

"The Burning Heaven Ancient Map?" Xiao Yan frowned. "Is it connected to the seal fragments?"

"Hard to say." Zi Yan swung her legs. "But I know someone who might have seen the map-the elder who guards the Inner Academy's library. He dealt with people from Burning Heaven Valley when he was young."

Xiao Yan threw back the covers and got out of bed, still a little unsteady. "Let's go to the library now."

"What's the rush?" Zi Yan held him back. "Your Dou Qi hasn't recovered yet. You nearly squeezed every bit of energy out of yourself getting through that pillar of fire yesterday. Here, take this Qi Recovery Pill and replenish yourself first."

Xiao Yan took the pill and swallowed it. A warm current slowly flowed through his meridians, and he felt much more alert. He looked at Zi Yan and said earnestly, "Thanks."

"Don't give me that." Zi Yan turned her face away, though the tips of her ears quietly reddened. "Just hurry up and get better. Otherwise, who's going to catch magma fish with me?"

(2)

The library stood deep in a bamboo grove on the west side of the Inner Academy. It was a three-story wooden building with bronze wind chimes hanging from the corners of its eaves, ringing crisply whenever the wind blew. The elder who guarded it sat in a bamboo chair by the entrance, holding a yellowed ancient book. His hair and beard were white, but he was hale and hearty.

"Little ones, what do you want with this old man?" The elder looked up, his gaze lingering on Xiao Yan for a moment. "Hmm? You carry traces of the fallen heart flame. What an interesting youngster."

"This junior is Xiao Yan. I would like to ask Elder about the Burning Heaven Ancient Map." Xiao Yan cupped his hands in greeting.

The elder put down the ancient book and narrowed his eyes with a smile. "The Burning Heaven Ancient Map... That was fifty years ago. Back then, the valley master of Burning Heaven Valley personally brought the Ancient Map to the academy, hoping to borrow the Heaven-Piercing Mirror to decipher it. The old academy head refused him."

"What was drawn on the Ancient Map?" Zi Yan asked curiously.

"I can't remember clearly." The elder tapped his forehead. "I only remember that it had many flame runes on it, and a design resembling an altar, very much like the stone platform in the middle of the magma pool."

[System notification: Side quest "Burning Heaven Valley's Conspiracy," clue +1: The Ancient Map is connected to the altar in the magma pool.]

Xiao Yan took out the seal fragment. "Elder, have you seen this before?"

The elder took the fragment and ran his fingertips over its markings for a moment. A sharp light flashed in his eyes. "This is a core fragment of the Flame-Locking Array! The Flame-Locking Array was used to seal the fallen heart flame back then. It takes nine fragments in all to activate it."

"Nine?" Xiao Yan was shaken. "Could Burning Heaven Valley be looking for the Ancient Map because they want to gather all the fragments?"

"Most likely." The elder returned the fragment to him. "Burning Heaven Valley has long coveted the fallen heart flame. They failed fifty years ago, and I fear they intend to try the same trick again. Their purple nether flame can corrode array runes. If they get their hands on the Ancient Map and undo the Flame-Locking Array..."

Before he could finish, sounds of fighting suddenly came from outside the bamboo grove. Zi Yan sprang to her feet. "It's the people from Burning Heaven Valley!"

(3)

The two rushed out of the library and saw several dark figures surrounding and attacking a student in gray among the bamboo. Their leader was none other than the one-eyed Mo Feng. Entangled by purple nether flame, the student dodged left and right. He was Lin Xiuya of the Outer Academy, who had previously been in Xiao Yan's group.

"Mo Feng! You dare barge into the Inner Academy and kill someone?" Zi Yan shouted angrily as she charged forward, Dou Qi gathering around her fist as she smashed it at Mo Feng.

Mo Feng sidestepped and grinned viciously. "Little Princess Zi Yan, stay out of my way! This brat stole something from our valley. He deserves to die!"

Lin Xiuya shouted between gasps, "I didn't! They're the ones who stole my Flame-Locking Array fragment!"

Xiao Yan's gaze hardened. Sure enough, they were after the fragment. He circulated his newly recovered Dou Qi and drew his iron ruler. "Put down the fragment!"

Two Burning Heaven Valley disciples behind Mo Feng immediately stepped forward to block him. Purple nether flame turned into lines of fire that coiled toward Xiao Yan like venomous snakes. Xiao Yan swept his iron ruler across, green lotus core flame clinging to it, and easily burned the purple nether flame to ashes. "Is that all you've got?"

"Courting death!" Seeing this, Mo Feng charged in himself, sword in hand, purple nether flame blazing along its blade. "I let you get away last time. This time, I'll make you taste the power of the purple nether flame!"

Rather than retreat, Xiao Yan advanced. Iron ruler and sword clashed, sending sparks flying. He could feel that his opponent's Dou Qi was stronger than yesterday; clearly, Mo Feng was fighting in earnest.

[System notification: Mo Feng, Intermediate Dou Emperor. Dou Qi strength: 8500. Skill: Purple Nether Yan Ci.]

"Xiao Yan, be careful! His sword is poisoned!" Lin Xiuya shouted urgently.

Xiao Yan glimpsed a strange purple light shimmering on the blade and immediately circulated his Dou Qi to protect his whole body, redirecting his iron ruler toward Mo Feng's lower body. Mo Feng sneered and wheeled his sword around. Purple nether flame formed a net of light that descended over Xiao Yan, and a pungent, corrosive smell filled the air.

"Flame Prison: Vermilion Bird!"

Xiao Yan poured green lotus core flame into his iron ruler. Golden-red flames formed the spectral image of a Vermilion Bird, which burst through the purple nether flame's net of light and bore down on Mo Feng's face. Mo Feng had not expected him to recover so quickly. He hastily raised his sword to block, but the spectral Vermilion Bird sent him stumbling backward, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

"Retreat!" Mo Feng knew he would gain nothing by staying. He glared viciously at Xiao Yan, then vanished into the depths of the bamboo grove with his men.

(4)

"How are you?" Xiao Yan helped Lin Xiuya up. Seeing that his arm had been burned by purple nether flame, he immediately took out some healing medicine.

"Thank you, Brother Xiao Yan." Enduring the pain, Lin Xiuya pulled a fragment from his robes. "I picked this up by the edge of the magma pool. They saw it and grabbed it..."

[System notification: Obtained Flame-Locking Array fragment x1. Current total: 2/9.]

Zi Yan looked at the fragment, her brows tightly knitted. "How many fragments does Burning Heaven Valley already have? At this rate, it won't take them long to gather them all."

"They must have other clues." Xiao Yan tightened his grip on the fragment. "The elder said the Ancient Map can decipher the runes. Maybe it marks the locations of the other fragments."

Lin Xiuya suddenly said, "I heard Mo Feng say just now, 'On a moonless, windy night, the Ancient Map appears at Soul-Breaking Cliff.' It sounded like they're going to Soul-Breaking Cliff tonight to look for something."

[System notification: Side quest "Burning Heaven Valley's Conspiracy," clue +1: Unusual activity at Soul-Breaking Cliff tonight.]

"Soul-Breaking Cliff?" Zi Yan's gaze sharpened. "That's a forbidden area of the Inner Academy. They say fragments of the Heaven-Piercing Mirror are hidden there!"

A thought struck Xiao Yan. "The Heaven-Piercing Mirror? The mirror the elder said could decipher the Ancient Map?"

"That's right." Zi Yan nodded. "Fifty years ago, the old academy head used the Heaven-Piercing Mirror to see through Burning Heaven Valley's plot. They're going to Soul-Breaking Cliff tonight, so they must be looking for the Heaven-Piercing Mirror!"

(5)

Night fell, shrouding Soul-Breaking Cliff in thick darkness. Jagged rocks lined its edge, and a bottomless sea of clouds lay below. The howling wind sounded like wailing ghosts.

Xiao Yan, Zi Yan, and Lin Xiuya hid behind a boulder, holding their breath as they watched. Before long, Mo Feng appeared at the top of the cliff with five Burning Heaven Valley disciples. He held a parchment scroll in his hand: the Burning Heaven Ancient Map.

"According to the Ancient Map, the Heaven-Piercing Mirror fragment is in a hollow in this cliff face." Mo Feng pointed at a spot on the cliff. "Third, Fourth, go get it!"

The two disciples tied on ropes and were just about to climb down when Zi Yan suddenly leaped out. "Leave the Ancient Map!"

Mo Feng started, then grinned viciously. "You again, girl. Perfect-I'll catch you all in one net!" He swung his sword and charged at Zi Yan, his purple nether flame even fiercer than it had been during the day.

Xiao Yan and Lin Xiuya immediately rushed out to support her. Xiao Yan sent his iron ruler straight at Mo Feng, while Lin Xiuya took on the other four disciples.

"Flame Prison: Flowing Fire!" Xiao Yan turned his green lotus core flame into several lines of fire that wound toward Mo Feng's sword. Mo Feng swung his sword and severed them, only to see Xiao Yan's figure flicker. Xiao Yan had already circled behind him, his iron ruler aimed straight at the wrist of the hand holding the scroll.

"Don't even think about it!" Mo Feng thrust his sword backhanded at Xiao Yan's heart, the strike vicious. Xiao Yan dodged sideways, and his iron ruler grazed Mo Feng's wrist. The parchment scroll fell to the ground.

Quick-eyed and quick-handed, Zi Yan leaped forward and caught the Ancient Map, but the other two Burning Heaven Valley disciples engaged her. Though she was no weakling, fighting two opponents at once was a struggle, and their purple nether flame soon forced her back step by step.

"Zi Yan!" Seeing this, Xiao Yan turned his attention to helping her. Mo Feng seized the chance to slash at him. Xiao Yan could not dodge in time, and a bloody cut opened on his arm. Purplish-black venom instantly spread from the wound.

"Xiao Yan!" Zi Yan cried out in alarm. Distracted, she took a palm strike to the chest and was sent flying backward.

[System notification: Purple nether flame toxin detected. Dou Qi is being depleted!]

Xiao Yan's arm went numb, and darkness clouded his vision. He forced himself to circulate his Dou Qi to suppress the toxin and barely managed to stay upright by bracing his iron ruler against the ground. Mo Feng picked up the Ancient Map and walked toward him with a vicious grin. "You've been struck by my nether poison. Let's see how you stop me now!"

(6)

Just as Mo Feng's sword was about to pierce Xiao Yan, an aged voice suddenly rang out. "You wretch, how dare you run wild!"

A white figure flashed past. The library's guardian elder had appeared at the cliff's edge at some unknown point. With a wave of the horsetail whisk in his hand, countless silver strands turned into ribbons of Dou Qi and instantly bound Mo Feng and his men.

"It's you!" Mo Feng was both shocked and furious. "The old bastard who ruined our valley master's plans fifty years ago!"

"Hmph. Fifty years, and Burning Heaven Valley still hasn't learned its lesson." The elder waved his whisk again, and the silver strands tightened. "Today I'll cripple your Dou Qi so you can never bring harm to others again!"

"Don't even think about it!" Mo Feng roared and detonated the Dou Qi in his body. Purple nether flame burned furiously, snapping the silver strands. He glanced at the elder, then at Xiao Yan, and said through gritted teeth, "Retreat!"

The Burning Heaven Valley disciples immediately followed him over Soul-Breaking Cliff, disappearing into the sea of clouds.

"Elder!" Zi Yan hurried forward to support Xiao Yan. "He's been struck by nether poison!"

The elder examined Xiao Yan's wound, his brows tightly furrowed. "This nether poison must be neutralized with clear heart grass. I'll return to the library and fetch the medicine at once."

"Wait." Fighting the dizziness, Xiao Yan took out the Ancient Map. "Elder, this Ancient Map..."

The elder glanced at it and sighed. "It does indeed mark the locations of the Flame-Locking Array fragments, and it also shows what the complete Heaven-Piercing Mirror looks like. If Burning Heaven Valley gathers the fragments and then uses the Heaven-Piercing Mirror to activate them, the Flame-Locking Array will be in danger."

[System notification: Side quest "Burning Heaven Valley's Conspiracy" complete! Obtained 100,000 points. Unlocked Earth-tier Dou Technique "Seal-Breaking Palm"!]

(7)

After returning to Burning Heaven Cliff, the elder applied a clear heart grass poultice to Xiao Yan's arm, and the purplish-black color gradually faded.

"Thank you, Elder." Xiao Yan cupped his hands.

"It was no trouble." The elder looked at the Ancient Map. "You should keep this Ancient Map. Burning Heaven Valley certainly won't let the matter rest, so be extra careful." He paused, then added, "The other fragments of the Heaven-Piercing Mirror are said to be in the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest and Ice River Valley. If you can find them, perhaps you can unravel the Flame-Locking Array before Burning Heaven Valley does."

[System notification: Main quest "Traces of the Fallen Heart Flame" progress: 50%. New clue triggered: Find the Heaven-Piercing Mirror fragments.]

After the elder left, Zi Yan spread the Ancient Map on the stone table and pointed to the marks on it. "Look, here, here, and here-they all mark the locations of fragments. Three are in the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest, and two are in Ice River Valley."

Lin Xiuya said, "There are many high-level magical beasts in the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest, and Ice River Valley is frozen all year round. Neither will be easy to enter."

Xiao Yan looked at the Ancient Map, his gaze resolute. "No matter how difficult it is, we have to go. We can't let Burning Heaven Valley get its way." He looked at Zi Yan. "Will you come with us?"

Zi Yan raised an eyebrow. "Of course. Without me, could you find where the magma fish live?" Though her words were a joke, seriousness lay hidden in her eyes.

Lin Xiuya nodded too. "I'll join as well. Another person means another pair of hands."

[System notification: Team formation complete! Team quest "Battle for the Fragments" triggered. Gather the seven remaining Flame-Locking Array fragments to receive 500,000 points and unlock the ability "Preliminary Control of the Fallen Heart Flame"!]

The night grew late. Moonlight streamed through the stone window at Burning Heaven Cliff, illuminating the Ancient Map on the stone table. Xiao Yan put the Ancient Map away, his fingertips brushing the scar on his arm that had yet to fade. He knew that the real contest with Burning Heaven Valley had only just begun. The fierce beasts of the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest, the bitter cold of Ice River Valley, and the pursuers from Burning Heaven Valley-the road ahead was destined to be strewn with thorns, but a determination hotter than the green lotus core flame burned in his eyes.

(8)

Three days later, Xiao Yan's injuries were no longer a serious concern. The three made their preparations and set out for the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest. As soon as they left the Inner Academy, they saw Wu Hao and several other Strong Ranking disciples waiting at the entrance.

"Xiao Yan, I heard you're going to the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest?" Wu Hao carried a huge axe over his shoulder and grinned. "Count us in. Strong Ranking disciples can't let Burning Heaven Valley look down on us!"

The other Strong Ranking disciples behind him nodded one after another, fighting spirit gleaming in their eyes.

Warmth filled Xiao Yan's heart, and he cupped his hands. "Thank you, everyone."

Zi Yan patted Wu Hao on the shoulder. "You've got good judgment. Follow us, and I guarantee you'll get magma fish to eat!"

The group walked toward the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest, talking and laughing as they went. Sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves, casting mottled light and shadow on the ground and stretching their shadows long.

[System notification: Team size increased to 8! Difficulty of the "Battle for the Fragments" quest increased; rewards doubled accordingly!]

Xiao Yan looked back toward the Inner Academy, then at the companions beside him, and tightened his grip on his iron ruler. No matter how many challenges lay ahead, this time he was no longer alone.